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Jon Grant and Kyle Majchrowski talk to Joseph Myers who delves into the complex nature of trust and distrust, exploring how these emotions are processed in the brain. They discuss the neuroscience behind trust, the development of TrustFinder, and the importance of understanding individual triggers for trust and distrust in personal and professional relationships. The conversation emphasizes the need for effective communication and the role of language in fostering trust within teams, particularly in team dynamics. They discuss the importance of understanding emotional triggers and the role of the amygdala in trust-related responses. Myers introduces the concept of the three P’s: Problems, Predicaments, and Puzzles, as frameworks for addressing various challenges in team settings. The discussion emphasizes the need for practical applications and practices to navigate trust effectively, rather than relying on oversimplified models. The conversation concludes with insights on how to foster a supportive environment for building trust within teams.

Takeaways

• Trust and distrust are processed in different parts of the brain.
• Trust is a decision, while distrust is a feeling.
• Trust is not a one-size-fits-all formula; it’s individual.
• Empathy plays a crucial role in understanding others’ trust needs.
• Teams can benefit from separating problems, predicaments, and puzzles.
• Building trust requires intentional practices and frameworks.

In this episode of the Ripple Intent Podcast, hosts Kyle Majchrowski and Jon Grant welcome Kenda Salisbury, a regional business development director at Degenkolb Engineers. This conversation explores the importance of building authentic relationships in business development, the role of vulnerability and empathy in professional growth, and the significance of team dynamics and personality fit in client relationships. Kenda shares her insights on fostering confidence and authenticity in engineers, the power of listening, and the necessity of celebrating wins while learning from losses. The episode emphasizes that making others feel important and heard is crucial in the business development process, ultimately leading to stronger connections and success.

Takeaways

• Building authentic relationships is key in business development.
• Vulnerability is essential for personal and professional growth.
• Team dynamics and personality fit significantly impact client relationships.
• Empathy training can transform engineering teams.

In this episode, Kyle and John interview Christine Sosnowski, a CliftonStrenghts enthusiast, about her journey of self-discovery and how understanding her strengths has impacted her career and relationships. Christine shares how taking the CliftonStrengths assessment helped her realize that she was in a role that didn’t align with her strengths and how she advocated for a new role that better suited her. Christine discusses the challenges of balancing her strengths, such as restorative and ideation, and learning to set boundaries – at work and at home. The conversation highlights the power of knowing and leveraging one’s strengths to become a better person, teammate, and leader.

Takeaways

• Taking the CliftonStrenghts assessment (or any assessment) can help individuals discover their strengths and find roles that align with them.
  
• Self-awareness is key in understanding how one’s strengths impact their interactions with others.
  
• Proactive communication and setting boundaries are important in navigating relationships and achieving success.
  
• Surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals who are also interested in self-discovery can be beneficial in the journey of understanding and leveraging strengths.

In this episode, Jon and Kyle interview Sierra Horton who shares her journey from working in the construction industry to her current role. Sierra discusses the challenges she faced, including high expectations and the externa and internal pressures to always succeed. She emphasizes the importance of reflection and self-discovery in finding a career path that aligns with one’s values. The journey to understand ones self with Sierra brings to light the importance of self reflection, understanding who you are and what drives you, and why you do what you do.

Takeaways

• Reflection and self-discovery are crucial in finding a career path that aligns with one’s values.
• External expectations and comparisons can lead to feelings of imposter syndrome.
• Seeking advice and learning from others’ experiences can provide valuable insights.
• Balancing internal reflection and external processing can lead to personal growth and development.

Val Williams discusses the struggles, conflict, dangers, and power of authenticity and individualization in the workplace. She emphasizes the importance of knowing who you are before being yourself and allowing others to do the same. Val shares her journey of self-acceptance and the impact it has had on her life. She highlights the need for intentional vulnerability and emotional conversations at work, as well as the role of time and experience in personal and professional growth.

Takeaways

• Be intentional about being yourself and allowing others to be themselves in the workplace.
• Authenticity and vulnerability create a safe space for open and honest conversations when done with thought and feeling.
• Time and experience are essential for personal and professional growth.
• Understanding and accepting oneself leads to better relationships in and out of work.

In this episode of the Ripple Intent Podcast, Jon Grant and Kyle Majchrowski talk with Rick Warhall, senior vice president at Whiting Turner. Rick shares his journey in the construction industry and his passion for helping people be their best selves. The conversation explores trust, communication, conflict resolution, and the importance of understanding different perspectives. Rick emphasizes the need for leaders to create a positive and inclusive work environment where everyone’s voice is heard. Is it possible to approach life with trust and assume good intent?

Takeaways:

• Trust is essential in building strong relationships and effective teams.
• Know yourself – understand your strengths!
• Effective communication involves understanding different perspectives and adapting your approach to meet the needs of others.
• Conflict resolution requires patience, active listening, and a focus on finding common ground.
• Creating a positive work environment involves valuing and respecting every individual’s contributions and fostering open and inclusive communication.

In this conversation, Rhona Vogt discusses the importance of creating a positive and engaging work culture. She shares her experiences from a large construction project and highlights the tactics they used to foster a fun and collaborative environment. Rhona emphasizes the significance of onboarding new team members and providing them with the necessary information and resources to succeed. She also discusses the value of setting clear expectations and behavioral norms within the team. Rhona emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive and enjoyable work environment, and how that is scalable to any work environment.

Takeaways

• Creating a positive work culture is essential for team success
• Engaging in fun activities and team-building exercises can foster collaboration and boost morale
• Onboarding new team members to team with structure and discipline, explaining how things work, sets them up for success
• Setting behavioral norms and meeting etiquette helps create a productive and respectful work environment

In this episode of the Ripple Intent podcast, Kyle and Jon interview Cherie Dice, a leader in the healthcare practice at HDR architecture. Cherie shares her unique approach to life, which centers on building relationships and treating all people at work as clients. Her patience, ability to tune into people, and help people work through anything allows her relationships to thrive. Cherie believes that success is measured by the strength of relationships and the desire to work together again. She also discusses the challenges of implementing this approach in a for-profit organization and the importance of first self-awareness to allow for the confidence in staying true to your values.

Takeaways

• Treating coworkers as clients and providing the same level of consideration and support can strengthen relationships and lead to more successful collaborations.
• Success should be measured by the desire to work together again and the quality of relationships, rather than solely by financial goals.
• It is important to recognize that you are not responsible for other people’s happiness and behavior, and focus on improving yourself and your own actions.
• Having self-awareness and confidence in staying true to your values can help navigate challenging situations and build stronger relationships.
• Implementing a relationship-focused approach in a for-profit organization can be challenging, but finding a supportive environment can make a significant difference.

In this episode of the Ripple Intent Podcast, hosts Kyle and Jon are joined by Colin Ellis, a self described optimistic realist, an expert in organizational culture, and author of several books. They discuss the importance of building a strong culture within organizations and the four steps to creating a successful culture. The conversation highlights the need for intention and commitment from leaders, knowledge and understanding of culture among middle managers, the importance of communication and collaboration, and the measurement of culture’s impact. In this conversation, Colin Ellis discusses the importance of culture in organizations and provides practical steps to improve and measure culture. He emphasizes the need for middle managers to have the knowledge and skills to create a positive culture. Ellis outlines four steps to take: understanding the current culture, creating a vision and values, putting them into action, and measuring the impact. Colin also addresses the disconnection between culture and engagement and offers insights on how to influence change in toxic cultures. His energy, approach, practical tools, and more energy make this a highly entertaining, insightful, and fun episode!

https://www.colindellis.com/
LinkedIn – Colin Ellis

Takeaways

• Building a strong culture requires intention and commitment from leaders.
• Middle managers play a crucial role in shaping and maintaining culture.
• Effective communication and collaboration are essential for a healthy culture.
• Measuring the impact of culture is important for continuous improvement. Middle managers need the knowledge and skills to create a positive culture.
• Understanding the current culture, creating a vision and values, putting them into action, and measuring the impact are crucial steps in improving culture.
• Measuring employee happiness, engagement, sales, attrition rate, performance management, and quality defects can demonstrate the value of working on culture.
• Toxic cultures often form when poor behaviors are tolerated and not addressed by the organization.
• Influencing change in toxic cultures requires starting with small actions and being a role model for positive behaviors.

In this episode, Kyle and Jon host Rex Miller, a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in leadership, team building, and personal development. Rex shares his journey starting in project management, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, strengths, and performance. He discusses the impact of CliftonStrengths assessments, the value of understanding one’s strengths, and the role of managers in guiding employees to perform at their best. Rex highlights the significance of creating a safe space for employees to communicate and adapt their roles, ultimately leading to personal and professional growth.

Takeaways

Self-awareness and understanding one’s strengths are crucial for personal and professional growth.
Managers play a key role in guiding employees to perform at their best and create a safe space for communication and adaptation.
The impact of CliftonStrengths assessments on individual and team dynamics is significant, leading to improved performance and engagement.
Creating a culture of self-awareness and performance can lead to a more engaged and productive workforce.
Adapting roles and tasks based on individual strengths and performance can lead to improved job satisfaction and engagement.

The conversation with Rhona Vogt covers her journey which eventually landed her in architecture, where she participated in leading a large project. She shares her approach and impact of intentionally team building and culture setting. We dive into the challenges and successes of implementing behavioral norms and maintaining a cohesive team dynamic. Rhona shares insights on the importance of music in meetings (her favorite!) and the value of trying new approaches to create positive change.

Takeaways

Intentional team building and culture setting are crucial for the success of projects, requiring thoughtful consideration of behavioral norms and engagement strategies.

Implementing behavioral norms and maintaining a cohesive team dynamic requires ongoing effort and a commitment to creating a positive and inclusive work environment.

Trying new approaches, such as incorporating music in meetings, can have a positive impact on team engagement and collaboration, even if it feels uncomfortable at first.